As she leads the cast of In The Heights at London’s King’s Cross Theatre, we talk returning to the West End, Eurovision and the chances of seeing a Sugababes reunion with former member, Jade Ewen.

In The Heights — did you get chance to see it in town? I sadly didn’t! I was on tour when the show came into town and one of the cast members said I would be perfect for Vanessa and told me to go in for the role. So I heard all these amazing things. I watched clips on YouTube and read all the reviews and it just looked amazing. I thought I’d missed it with it not coming back around and then I got a call…

It was all really last minute but I’m SO HAPPY I WENT IN!

And then, I came in and met the cast. I came to realise this was such a credit cast and a credible show!Is being part of the show as good as you first thought? It’s actually better! Truthfully. I knew the music was amazing as I loved all the songs, but I didn’t really know what the songs were about. It was only during the audition process when someone told me about winning a lottery ticket and beyond that I began to understand.

It’s also quite a big sing… It’s nice. Having done pop stuff before, I didn’t get to sing to my full voice. People always comment on my voice when they hear me live which is lovely. People say, ‘Oh, you can actually sing?’. I always want to reply asking what they thought I sounded like. [Laughs]

How did your career in music start? I started off dancing first and trained in ballet, tap and so on. I was 16 and got offered a scholarship to go to Laine Theatre Arts, but I was also filming a TV series in Australia at the same time. So it was a choice between one or the other.

I chose Australia and for a long time, I was worried I’d given up on my dream. I made the decision from that to follow my dream of TV and music, but I still loved singing. There’s always a part of me having missed that wanted to go back to try my hand at training. And now, I’m really enjoy it!

In The Heights also marks your return to the West End, too? YES! It does. [Laughs] I did stuff as a child, with the Lion King years and years ago. I also did the Open Air Theatre before with Porgy and Bess. So this is my return.

You also represented the UK at Eurovision after being selected on TV by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Do you think to achieve a singing dream in 2015 you have to go on reality TV? Sometimes, I still even now feel like I’m learning. I have done acting but never really enjoyed it until recently. As you get older, chances come along and you have to take them. I’ve had hints of training and respect that it’s a craft and people do spend a lot of money and hours to develop it. If you continue to learn as you age, don’t be arrogant then why not go and attack it, regardless of your training?!

Do you think your love of theatre helped you be so successful in winning the UK Eurovision vote? Yeah, I think so. To start, pop stuff would be slightly alien to me as anything I’d do would be created in a theatrical way. I’ve had a taste of pop and I LOVE IT! Buuuuut, I adore being in front of an audience.

With your experience, would you encourage anyone wanting to apply for Eurovision to do it? I think it’s really tough. If I’m totally honest, I do feel like I was lucky. The stigma is very negative. People are usually really talented. People are just looking for their break. My thing all happened by chance and jumped to the next thing and beyond that. But I don’t know if I’d advise a friend to apply for Eurovision as it really could go wrong!

Would you advise a friend to do reality TV then? This is hard. I feel that the artist side of me is saying no, but the reality is that you’re a product and people need to see you. Things are moving all the time so I think the best thing could actually be to get the platform to get your face recognisable and then when you’re successful, then demand the star quality you want.

Does Jade Ewen have many gay fans? I LOVE MY GAY FANS! [Howls with laughter] I went to Soho to meet a friend and I heard these guys SCREAMING and running at me down the street. Before I knew it, there was 10 screaming gays demanding photos and talking to me. Gay fans are so loyal to me and I love them so much. They know every fact, every gig and know everything I’ve worn.

Let us in on a secret, Jade — what’s the chances of us seeing a Sugababes reunion? Truth now… It’s not a closed book, there just hasn’t been any discussion or conversation about it.

Actually, we never technically split. Recording fizzled out, we changed labels and things came to a natural end. And because of that and us being good friends still, it’s always open.

If they said tomorrow we’re going to do a tour, none of us would be like, ‘no, we aren’t going to do it’. It would just have to be the right opportunity!

And finally, how would you describe anyone that’s thinking about coming to see In The Heights? Our producer Paul calls the show a mix between Nandos and Beyonce, if they did something together. And the result is In The Heights! [Laughs]

FORMER SUGABABES star Jade Ewen will take on the role of Princess Jasmine in the West End production of Aladdin it was announced today (Nov 23).

The 27-year-old beauty, who rose to prominence in the UK trio after, said she “can’t wait to be a Disney Princess” ahead of the show’s June 2016 premiere date at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Taking to Twitter shortly after the news was announced, she wrote: “”It’s official! I can’t wait to be a Disney princess!! Eek!! @AladdinLondon @DeanJohnWilson.”

Jade, who represented the UK in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, achieving fifth place and making her the UK’s most successful act in the last 12 years, will star alongside Dean John-Wilson, who will take on the role of Aladdin in the production.

LEADING ROLES: The 27-year-old will star alongside Dean John-Wilson, who will take on the role of Aladdin

Broadway star Trevor Dion Nicholas steps into iconic role of Genie – a character made famous by the late Robin Williams. It is his West End debut.

“As we cast this exceptional company, I was impressed again – as I have been many times in the last two decades – by the vast, deep pool of musical theatre talent in London and throughout Britain,” said Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. “And how gratifying that talent is a microcosm of the country in all its diversity and distinction. I’m so proud this beautiful cast reflects that.”

The West End production of Aladdin will feature the much-loved songs from the 1992 animated film as well as new music written by Tony, Olivier and eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Little Shop Of Horrors).

Casting has been announced for the highly-anticipated Broadway transfer of Disney'sAladdin.

Heading up the cast as Aladdin will be Dean John-Wilson. Since appearing in Britain's Got Talent in 2008, John-Wilson has been seen in the UK tour of Sister Act, Songs For a New World and the National Theatre's critically acclaimed production Here Lies Love.

Starring alongside John-Wilson as Jasmine will be former SugababeJade Ewen. Most recently seen in In The Heights, Ewen's many theatre credits include The Lion King and Whistle Down The Wind.

They will be joined by Don Gallagher (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Sweeney Todd) as Jafar, Peter Howe, originator of the role of Michael Wormwood in Matilda The Musical, as Iago, Irvine Iqbal (Bend It Like Beckham) as Sultan and Nathan Amzi (In The Heights) as Babkak.

As previously announced, Broadway cast member Trevor Dion Nicholas will make his London stage debut as Genie.

Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs the show, which will replace the revival of Miss Saigon which is due to close on 27 February next year.

The musical features several of the original songs including "Prince Ali", "Friend Like Me" and Rice's and Menken's hit song "A Whole New World" which won the Academy Award for best original song.

President and producer of Disney Theatrical Productions Thomas Schumacher commented: "As we cast this exceptional company, I was impressed... by the vast, deep pool of musical theatre talent in London and throughout Britain and how gratifying that talent is a microcosm of the country in all its diversity and distinction. I'm so proud this beautiful cast reflects that."

Aladdin will open at the Prince Edward Theatre on Wednesday 15 June 2016, with previews from Friday 27 May.

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The Jade Ewen Story so far...

Jade Almarie Louise Ewen (born 24 January 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in the girl group Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released. In 2009, she represented the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest performing the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Diane Warren penned "It's My Time" after winning the UK national selection. She achieved 5th place, cementing her as the most successful British Eurovision act since 2002. She replaced Keisha Buchanan in the Sugababes in September 2009, while at the time still signed to Polydor Records.

Ewen was born and brought up in Plaistow, London, to a Jamaican mother, Carol and a Scottish-Sicilian father, Trevor. Trevor is blind and partially deaf, while Carol is partially blind. Ewen was a carer to both her parents and two younger siblings, Shereen and Kiel.She received a scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School. As a student at Sylvia, she appeared in The Bill, Casualty and Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle.Ewen also won the part of Nala in The Lion King at the West End at the age of twelve. Ewen appeared in the children's dance DVD, entitled How To Dance. She also featured briefly in the video for pop rock band Busted's "What I Go to School For".

Between 2003 and 2004 she appeared in the Australian series Out There. In 2005, Ewen became a member of the girl group Trinity Stone which was signed to Sony BMG. The group disbanded in 2007. She later recorded with rapper Kwamé, who was impressed with her work on MySpace. She released a digital single, "Got You" in 2008 under Kwame's Make Noise label. Ewen co-wrote the song "A Little Bit" for the girl group Booty Luv and also "Let Me Be Me" for Jessica Mauboy. In early 2009, Ewen acted in the first episode of the series, Myths.

In January 2009, Ewen was approached and participated in the UK national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. She was eventually selected to represent the UK with the song "It's My Time" composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber who accompanied her on piano onstage. Ewen was signed with Polydor Records in February and began working on her debut album. In May Ewen finished in fifth place, the highest placing for the United Kingdom since 2002.

In September 2009, it was announced that Ewen had joined the Sugababes as the replacement for Keisha Buchanan.While her second single, "My Man" had been released in the same week, promotional activities for the single were cancelled. Although the single still managed to reach #35 in the charts. In an interview with the BBC, Ewen confirmed her commitment to the Sugababes as her main priority and that her solo album was put on hold. "About a Girl" later debuted at number eight in the UK. Sweet 7 was released in early 2010 after multiple delays from late 2009, and charted at #14 on the UK albums chart. In late 2010 Jade was revealed as the new face of Miss Ultimo lingerie, modelling the lingerie fashion lines Autumn/Winter collection for 2010.

A Brief History of The Sugababes

Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Guinness Book of World Records have named the Sugababes as the most successful female act of the 21st century with six UK number one singles and eighteen UK top ten hits.

Sugababes were formed in 1998 by founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. In 2001, after just one album and some initial success, Donaghy departed and the introduction of Range in the same year was met with the commercial success. The group survived a second line-up change in December 2005, when Buena left the band and was subsequently replaced by Berrabah. In September 2009, it was confirmed that after eleven years in the band, Buchanan was no longer part of the group and had been replaced by Jade Ewen.